Foldable table/bench



March 5, 1963 F. F. NIMMO FOLDABLE TABLE/BENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13. 1959 o m .m N R MQ NM boMQwo TTORNEYS March 5, 1963 F. F. NIMMO 3,080,193

FOLDABLE TABLE/BENCH Fi led Jan. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United dtates 3,080,193 FOLDABLE TABLE/ BENCH Ray F. Nimmo, 609 A Ave. NE., Cedar Rapids, Iowa Filed Jan. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 786,639 Claims. (Cl. 297-159) The present invention relates to a foldable table/ bench combination and has for an object to provide an improved construction over my prior Patent No. 2,811,- 197, granted October 29, 1957, in that I have eliminated the locating rod, slidable supports on the locating rod and support struts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skeleton construction carrying table tops and bench members which will fold into a compact unit having a minimum of moving parts.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a table/bench in which the bench unit cooperates with the skeleton construction to make the unit non-tiltable at the ends of the bench member.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbol-s refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the framework of a foldable table/bench constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the table tops and bench seats in dot-ted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away and parts shown in section at a magnified scale of the joint between a pair of foldable members;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 33 in FIG- URE 1 at a magnified scale;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away and parts shown in section at a magnified scale of the bench seat connection construction;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective View of the framework of the present invention with the table tops and bench seats removed;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the framework of FIGURE 5 showing the table tops and bench seats in dotted lines;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the framework of FIGURE 6 in folded condition for transporting;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away and parts shown in section at a magnified scale of the table top pivotal-swivel construction connection, and

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, each foldable end member 20 comprises an L-shaped member having tubes or the like 21, 22 defining the leg of the L shape conneoted at their tops by a table top support member 23. The foot or base of the L-shape is defined by tubes 24-, 25 connected at their ends by a tube 26. The tube 22 has an extension or projection 22 for pivotally supporting the table top retaining means.

There are four of the foldable end members 20, each having two eyebolt members 27, 28 secured to the leg tubes 21 with the eye of each eyebolt lying in the horizon-tal plane. The eyebolt members 27, 28 may be welded, cast or otherwise secured to the leg tube. In the form of the invention illustrated the eyebolt members are screw-threaded and are retained in place by a nut 29.

The eyebolt pivot members 27, 28 of each opposed 2 pair of foldable members 20 are pivotally retained within a U-shaped clamp 30 by pivots 31 which may be bolt and nut pivots or a peened bolt. As shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 the members 28 have limited pivotal movement.

Secured to each pair of U-shaped clamps 30 is an intermediate member 32, one intermediate member 32 for each pair of U-shaped clamps. As shown in FIGURE 2 the intermediate members 32 of one pair of U-clamps 30 are connected to the clamp at the same side of the two pivot construction while the opposed or other end intermediate member 32 is secured to the U-clarnp 30 at the other pivot. This is better seen in FIGURE 6.

The two half unit assemblies are shown joined in FIGURE 5 by a bolt and wing nut fastener 33.

As shown in FIGURE 8 the upper projection 22. carries thereo-ver a swivel collar 34 which rotates about the tube 22 as its vertical pivot. Upstanding from the collar 34 is an ear 35 having a pivot trunnion 36 which cooperates with metal inserts 37 carried by the slotted table top 38. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 8 two table tops 38 and 38 are so attached.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 4 and 5 a seat or bench member 39, 39 is shown secured and entrained by a swivel collar 40 which can slide along the tube 22 but which in the use position rests upon a washer 41 supported by -a retaining pin 42. This swivel collar 40 also has an. car 43 having a trunnion pin 44 which cooperates with inserts 45 in the seat or bench member 39, 39*.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, we see the table/bench unit in its collapsed or compact transport condition in which the intermediate members 32, 32 are nested and the swivel collars 34, 34 have rotated about the tube to permit the table tops 38, 38 and seat or bench members 39, 39 to lie flat in a compact unit.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the unit is assembled and ready for use. This has been accomplished by urging the intermediate members 32, 32 apart and bolting the same in position by bolt and wing nut 33. The table tops 39 are rotated into position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. In the position of FIGURE 6 each pair of members are about apart which renders the unit tilt proof if one should sit only on an end of one of the bench seats 3-9.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A foldable type table/ bench comprising a first pair of foldable end members, a second pair of foldable end members, a pair of intermediate members pivotally connected one each to each pair of foldable end members, removable joining means operatively connected to one of said intermediate members for rigidly joining said intermediate members for retaining said pairs of foldable end members in spaced apart relation when said table/ bench is in use, table top retaining means pivoted to said foldable end members about a vertical axis, table top pivot means pivoted to said table top retaining means about a horizontal axis, table tops secured to a component of said table top pivot means, bench member retaining means rotatably carried by said foldable end members about a vertical pivot and bench member pivot means carried by said bench member retaining means, and bench members secured to a component of said bench member pivot means.

2. A foldable type table/bench as claimed in claim 1 v3 wherein said foldable end members are pivoted to said intermediate members about a vertical axis.

3. A foldable type table/bench as claimed in claim 1 wherein said intermediate members, are pivotally joined to said foldable members offset horizontally with respect to each other whereby they will nest upon folding of the table.

4. A foldable type table/bench as claimed in claim 1 wherein said intermediate members are of bow-like configuration.

5. A foldable type table/bench as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removable joining means is a bolted connection between adiacent portions of said intermediate member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Morris July 23, 1918 Holick Sept. 28, 1954 Gallagher et a1 Nov. 8, 1955 McPhilo-my July 30, 1957 Bohn Sept. 10, 1957 Nimmo Oct. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 2, 1905 France Aug. 3, 1906 Great Britain 1912 

1. A FOLDABLE TYPE TABLE/BENCH COMPRISING A FIRST PAIR OF FOLDABLE END MEMBERS, A SECOND PAIR OF FOLDABLE END MEMBERS, A PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED ONE EACH TO EACH PAIR OF FOLDABLE END MEMBERS, REMOVABLE JOINING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS FOR RIGIDLY JOINING SAID INTERMEDIATE MEMBERS FOR RETAINING SAID PAIRS OF FOLDABLE END MEMBERS IN SPACED APART RELATION WHEN SAID TABLE/BENCH IS IN USE, TABLE TOP RETAINING MEANS PIVOTED TO SAID FOLDABLE END MEMBERS ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, TABLE TOP PIVOT MEANS PIVOTED TO SAID TABLE TOP RETAINING MEANS ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, TABLE TOPS SECURED TO A COMPONENT OF SAID TABLE TOP PIVOT MEANS, BENCH MEMBER RETAINING MEANS ROTATABLY CARRIED BY SAID FOLDABLE END MEMBERS ABOUT A VERTICAL PIVOT AND BENCH MEMBER PIVOT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BENCH MEMBER RETAINING MEANS, AND BENCH MEMBERS SECURED TO A COMPONENT OF SAID BENCH MEMBER PIVOT MEANS. 